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Ecology

Habitat

Habitat and Ecology

The dory, Zeus capensis, is a demersal species found at a depth range of 35-400 m on the continental shelf and slope. It has been found in midwater and close to the seafloor. The diet of this species consists of fish, cephalopods and crustaceans.

Zeus capensis has been assessed as Least Concern. It has a widespread geographic and depth distribution and has been reported as common around Namibia and South Africa. This species is commercially harvested as a food source and is also taken as by-catch by the hake fisheries. Although no species-specific catch statistics are available, fishing pressure is not thought to represent a major threat to this species at present.

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Trends

Population

Bianchi et al. (1999) noted that Zeus capensis was among the dominant fish species on the central shelf along Namibia, an area at the northern most limit of this species' range. It is also common off the coast of South Africa (P. Heemstra pers. comm. 2009).

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Threats

Zeus capensis is an excellent food fish, caught by demersal trawling, and is often taken as by-catch in hake fisheries (Rheeder and Sauer 1998). It is marketed both fresh and frozen. However, this is not thought to represent a major threat to this species at present.